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PAGE B6THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, MARCH 31,2004 www.durtiamregion.com Running with the Bulls New ownership group looking forward to challenges of operating an OHL team in Belleville BY BRAD KELLY Sports Editor UXBRIDGE - The first thing the new owners of the Belleville Bulls are going to do may come as a shock to some people. "We're going to be buying season tickets," declares Gord Simmonds of the first order of business his ownership ownership group needs to tend to. And it may also come as a surprise surprise that those seats won't be the best in the building. "Buying season tickets has been a tradition in Belleville and that is going to continue. There is a waiting list for good seats and it's a long waiting list. I don't even know exactly exactly where we are going to be sitting." sitting." Simmonds, a 43-year-old Uxbridge resident, along with business business colleagues Bob Vander Slagt of Port Perry and Dennis Hill of Ajax- Pickering, purchased 70 per cent ownership of the storied OHL franchise franchise from Dr. Robert Vaughan, who maintains the remaining 30 per cent. The deal is set to close late next month, pending approval from the league. While the new owners have vowed to work together in their latest latest venture, Vander Slagt and Hill have opted to stay in the background, background, preferring to let Simmonds speak on behalf of the group. Simmonds is the CEO of the Lenbrook Group of electronic companies companies located in Pickering. He is also chairman of the Vital Links Capital Campaign that is attempting to raise $34 million for the Rouge Valley health system for redevelopment redevelopment of the Ajax-Pickering site. Talks to purchase the Bulls began in late-February, says Simmonds, with the two sides reaching an agreement on March 20. The price was less than $3.5 million. The idea to purchase an OHL team as a private investment was actually actually hatched more than three years ago, admits Simmonds, with some initial interest in buying the Oshawa Generals. ! r But when negotiations didn't seem to be going anywhere, the group shifted its focus to Belleville at the suggestion of OHL commissioner commissioner Dave Branch. "We went to a game and it just developed from there," says Simmonds, Simmonds, who was raised in Epsom, but went to school in Port Perry and played hockey in Uxbridge during his youth. One of the more appealing aspects aspects of the franchise was its location location in a smaller community, something something all three owners could relate to. "We all have a high level of respect respect for the Belleville franchise," notes Simmonds. "It has been successful successful and intriguing for the people around the league because it is a smaller centre team. "We all live in smaller communities communities and don't feel like "big city people people and that is what intrigued us about Belleville. It has a neat feel. "We bought this for the long-term to see if we can make it a business success in what people consider a smaller centre." The group will work towards putting a management team in place to operate the team, and will rely on the experience of Dr. Vaughan, whose family has owned the team since its inception into the league in 1981. "We only had interest in buying the team if we had a local partner," says Simmonds. "It will help bridge the gap that is obvious with us not living there." As for the obvious question of the team remaining in its current location, location, Simmonds says, "it is absolutely absolutely our intention" to keep the team in Belleville. In regards to changes to coaching and management, Simmonds Simmonds praised the current staff as being "fantastic" but did add that there is an "assessment phase" underway. underway. While those changes will sort themselves out over time, one thing that Simmonds doesn't anticipate changing is the character of the new owners. Even with the latest venture, they are still the same guys they were before before all of this unfolded. "We don't anticipate that it's going to make major changes in who we are or what we do," he says keeping keeping grounded. "We love the communities we live in and will remain involved and active active in the community." A.J. Groen/ The Canadian.StatesmaH Bob Vander Slagt (left) and Gord Simmonds are part of a new I ownership group for the Belleville Bulls. ! 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